Bathing aid



Aug. 11, 1964 D. w. ROWLEY BATHING AID Filed March 5,

FIGB

R m mm MW R w E L m ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,143,755 BATHING All) Dale W. Rowley, Firesteel, S. Dalr. Filed Mar. 5, 1963, Ser. No. 262,969 Claims. (Cl. -523) The present invention relates to an improved type of soap supplying sponge which may characterize a cartoon or other character and also exhibit toy-like features, generally promoting the utility of the device, especially for bathing children.

The invention will be described in connection with its application to a whale-like article, for dispensing soap to the body in general. More particularly, the article is equipped with a spout which directs soapy water onto the bather, simulating the antics of whales. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the principles of the invention are applicable to other articles, such as, animals or birds in general; for example, even an owl wherein the soap suds could be spued from its mouth, or to a naval vessel which could mount a gun capable of projecting the cleaning fluid.

Briefly, the invention resides in a novel combination including a body of porous material, preferably sponge or foam plastic, shaped into the desired configuration and having one or more cavities therein. An ingress passageway, in the form of a slit, communicates with the internal cavity(s) to permit a bar of soap to he slid therein. Remotely disposed from the soap location is a further opening in communication with the cavity to serve as an egress. The single cavity, or in the event of more than a single cavity, at least one of the cavities employs a liner which is less porous than the body material. The liner may be a plastic or rubber bag or may in fact comprise the sponge-like material itself having a greater density along the walls of the cavity to permit pressure build-up, as will be explained.

The egress may be in the form of a simple opening or may incorporate alternate battle-like structures capable of extension beyond the body, upon pressure application, to form spouts or protuberances of various configurations, but for the purpose of propelling soapy water.

In the embodiment utilizing a single cavity, the entire cavity is lined or rendered less porous than the spongelike body material. The soap is inserted by way of a selfclosing slit and, upon submersion of the body in water, some water is admitted to the cavity through the walls, via the slit, via the exit or egress opening, and in certain instances through the cavity walls. Handling or swishing the body about builds up soap suds in the cavity. Subsequently, the quick application of pressure, externally, to the cavity, forces the soap suds to be propelled out the egress. This pressure is preferably applied by squeezing the cavity against the soap cake, which serves as a rigid foundation, and permits the Volume of the cavity to be decreased and the suds to be expelled. Of course, as the soap cake diminishes in size, the cavity is nevertheless compressible by virtue of the hand gripping the body to increase the cavity pressure.

In the embodiment employing separate cavities, the cavity for the soap need not be lined, but the cavity for the pressure build-up should be lined or, at least, formed of higher density material than the body material. Tiny apertures are disposed in communication with the pressure cavity and the soap cavity to permit the suds to penetrate into the pressure cavity for application to a person through the egress.

Features of the invention reside in bafile arrangements which may be employed in communication with the egress to provide extendable applicators. When the body is in the form of a Whale-like creature, the spurting soap suds esemble the blowing or spouting of a whale. Sim- Patented Aug. 11, 1964 ilarly, the baffle structure may resemble a cannon or battleship gun, which is extendable beyond the body, in the configuration of a vessel, to spout soapy suds.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of apertures, resembling eyes for the character, but which also permit the insertion of the fingers to facilitate gripping of the aid.

With the foregoing in mind, among the objects of the invention are: the provision of a bathing aid, offering appeal to children, in the form of toy-like features; the provision of a bathing aid capable of mixing and spuing soapy suds; the provision of such a bathing aid capable of extending protuberances for the spouting or spuing action; and the provision of such an aid, in the form of sponge-like soap containers, for facilitating bathing.

The invention will further be described in detail in connection with preferred embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of a whale-like creature, constructed in accordance with principles of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial View of the structure of FIG. 1, showing in cross-section an internal cavity and baffle structure.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2, showing a further embodiment utilizing a difierent internal configuration consisting of separate cavities.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the baflle structure of FIG. 2, in extended position; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the alternative form of bafile structure as employed in FIG. 3, seen in crosssection.

In FIG. 1 the general outline of a readily moldable whale-like creature is indicated at 11. While the article is fabricatable, it-is preferably molded or cut from a sponge-like material 13, which may in fact comprise natural or synthetic sponge, plastic foam, or the like. A month for the creature is simulated by a recess 15 which may alternatively consist of an external marking. Eyes 17 also may comprise a single or double aperture in the body material 13 of a size to permit human fingers to be inserted therein or therethrough for gripping the body 13. Alternatively, the apertures 17 may be dispensed with and marking material employed to simulate eyes. Also, there is shown a blow hole 19 which may in fact consist of a tiny aperture with marking material in the form of a surrounding annular circle or may comprise the bafile structures to be described.

In FIG. 2 the body material 13v is broken away to reveal an internal cavity 21 which has disposed therein a cake of soap 23. The soap is admitted via a horizontal slit or ingress passageway 25 which may communicate with the mouth 15 (FIG. 1). In any event, the slit is self-closing because of the sponge-like material through which it is sliced. The cavity 21 is formed in the sponge material 13 and is lined by a plastic or rubber bag 27, preferably adhesively aflixed thereto. The slit 25, of course, penetrates the bag 27 to permit insertion of the soap 23. The bag 27 may assume any configuration, being cylindrical, tapered, or somewhat flattened to conform to a fiat cake of soap.

At the top of the cavity 21 and integrally formed with the liner 27 (or afiixed thereto) is a baflle structure 29, preferably of rubber material. The baflle structure 29 may conveniently be circular (as viewed from the top) and may consist of a plurality of folds, the number depending upon the length of projection desired. In the showing of FIGS. 2 and 4, the central tip is apertured at 31 and the annular connection material is thinnest, as indicated at 33 (FIG. 4), to insure a bellowing or projecting action, when pressure is built up in the cavity.

When the body 13 is equipped with the soap and immersed in a bath, a slight swirling or handling operation will admit water into the cavity in contact with the soap to generate soapy fluid. Subsequent compression of the cavity by external gripping force, applied about the body, develops pressure by forcing the liner 27 against the soap 23 to expel the soapy substance through the aperture 31. This action resembles a whale blowing off.

In lieu of the plastic or rubber liner 27, the walls of the cavity 21 may comprise the same material as the body 13 but may be formed with greater density to permit sufficient pressure build-up to enable the spuing action. In any event, the baflle structure 29 is preferably of rubber and cemented at its peripheral edges into the body 13 to form the egress opening, or alternatively formed integrally with the liner 27.

A further embodiment is shown in FIG. 3 with an alternative type baflle structure best depicted in FIG. 5. The body 13 is formed with a pair of cavities, generally illustrated at 41 and 43. The lower cavity 41 is in communication with the slit 45 and is contoured to contain the soap cake 23.

The upper cavity 43 is lined with a plastic or rubber liner 47 whichhas small apertures 49 in communication with the soap containing cavity 41. In this structure the soap suds gain access into the upper cavity 43 by way of the apertures 49 along with some water to produce a higher concentration of suds than the previous embodiment.

The bafiie structure 51 illustrated in this embodiment consists of a cylindrical-like accordion type rubber structure capable of expansion upon the application of pressure and having an aperture 53 for expulsion of the suds. Pressure build-up extends the accordion-like structure 51 substantially beyond the body 13, and is particularly suitable for use as a cannon or gun for a battleship or other naval vessel. In any event, soap suds are available for application to the bather upon compression of the upper chamber 43 through collapsing pressure exerted thereon, as previously described.

While the invention has been described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, it, nevertheless, will be appreciated that the principles have application to further styled creatures and devices and, accordingly, the.

scope of the invention is intended to be limited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An article of manufacture comprising, in combination, a flexible body internally partly hollowed with a plurality of openings thereto; one of said openings adapted to admit a bar of soap; a further opening being in spaced apart relation to said one; the internal walls of the hollow characterized by being less permeable to water than the body whereby exposure of the body to water with subequent pressure applied to the body to collapse the hollow results in soapy water being spouted from the further opening.

2. An article of manufacture comprising, in combination, a body having internal cavities with a plurality of openings thereto; one of said openings being in communication with one of said cavities to admit a bar of soap thereto; a further opening being in communication with a further cavity; said further cavity characterized by greater water tightness than said one cavity, being lined with a water-tight liner having apertures in communication with said one cavity whereby exposure of the body to water with subsequent pressure applied to the body to collapse said further cavity against said soap results in soapy water being spouted from the further opening.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2, including flexible bafile means disposed in communication with the further cavity and said further opening to receive soapy water upon pressure application to the body and to expand externally of the body as a result thereof while spouting the soapy water.

4. An article of manufacture comprising, in combination, a body having an upper and a lower internal cavity with at least an opening to each; one of said openings being in communication with the lower of said cavities to admit a bar of soap thereto; a further opening being in communication with the upper of said cavities; said upper cavity characterized by greater water tightness than said lower cavity; and passageways for fluid disposed from said lower to said upper cavity whereby exposure of the body to water with subsequent pressure applied to the body to collapse said upper cavity against said soap results in soapy water being spouted from the further opening.

5. An article of manufacture comprising, in combination, a body member substantially in the form of a known creature, said body member characterized by a porous sponge-like material, a cavity in the body, an ingress passageway in the form of a slit in communication with the cavity; said cavity being adapted to receive a bar of soap via the ingress passageway; said body having an egress passageway in communication with the cavity at a location spaced from the soap loacation; the walls of the cavity in the region between the soap and the egress opening being characterized by less porosity than said body; and, flexible, pressure responsive baflle means disposed in the cavity in communication with the egress opening and the cavity to provide an extendable protuberance whereby exposure of the body to water with subsequent pressure applied externally to the cavity causes the baflle means to protrude and spout soapy Water.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,588,773 Smith Mar. 11, 1952 v FOREIGN PATENTS 1,023,707 Germany Ian. 30, 1958 

1. AN ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A FLEXIBLE BODY INTERNALLY PARTLY HOLLOWED WITH A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS THERETO; ONE OF SAID OPENINGS ADAPTED TO ADMIT A BAR OF SOAP; A FURTHER OPENING BEING IN SPACED APART RELATION TO SAID ONE; THE INTERNAL WALLS OF THE HOLLOW CHARACTERIZED BY BEING LESS PERMEABLE TO WATER THAN THE BODY WHEREBY EXPOSURE OF THE BODY TO WATER WITH SUBEQUENT PRESSURE APPLIED TO THE BODY TO COLLAPSE THE HOLLOW RESULTS IN SOAPY WATER BEING SPOUTED FROM THE FURTHER OPENING. 